St Afan's Church, Llanafan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Saint Afan's |
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| 52°19′53″N 3°55′56″W / 52.3313°N 3.9321°W | |
| Location | Llanafan, Ceredigion |
| Country | Wales |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Saint Afan Church |
| History | |
| Founded | 620 |
| Founder(s) | Saint Afan |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Historic |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Llanafan y Trawscoed |
| Deanery | Llanbadarn Fawr |
| Diocese | Diocese of St David's |
Saint Afan's Church is a historic church in Llanafan, Ceredigion, Wales. It is located about 8 miles east of Aberystwyth. The church has a long history, dating back to the 6th century.
Contents
History of Saint Afan's Church
Early Beginnings and Medieval Times
The very first church on this spot is believed to have been built by Saint Afan in the 6th century. During the medieval period, which was a long time ago, this church was a smaller chapel connected to a larger church called Llanbadarn Fawr.
The church is in an area known as the upper part of the Ilar hundred in Cardiganshire. For many years, the church's income, called tithes, went to the Chichesters of Arlington in England. However, they did not help with building the church itself. That job was usually handled by the Vaughan family of Trawsgoed.
The Vaughan Family's Connection
The Vaughan family has a strong link to Saint Afan's Church. In 1741, John Vaughan, who was the 2nd Viscount Lisburne, was buried in the family vault at Llanafan church. Since then, many leaders of the Vaughan family and their wives have been buried there.
The church building was changed quite a bit in the early 1800s. It was then completely rebuilt in 1873 by Ernest Vaughan, 4th Earl of Lisburne.
A Notable Story from the Churchyard
In the churchyard, there is a famous grave belonging to Joseph Butler. He was a gamekeeper for the Vaughan family's Trawsgoed estate. In 1868, he was killed by a poacher named Wil Cefn Coch. The poacher managed to escape to Ohio in the United States with help from local people. He lived there until 1920.
The Church Building Today
The church building you see today was updated in 1832. It's not clear exactly when the very first structure was built. However, there was likely a church here much earlier. The land around the church has belonged to the Vaughan family since the 1200s.
In 1833, Samuel Lewis described the church. He said it was an old building with a main area (nave), a special area for the altar (chancel), and a side part (south transept). Some of the old screen that separated the chancel from the nave was still there. It showed beautiful carved designs. The old, eight-sided font, used for baptisms, was also kept.
Among the church's special items, there is an interesting old silver dish. It is covered in gold and has twelve raised figures. Ten of these figures look like warriors, and the other two are dragons. They are all arranged in pairs, as if they are fighting. The church is close to the river Ystwyth. In the churchyard, there is a lovely path lined with trees leading to the church.
Special Features Inside
The church is known for its beautiful stained glass windows from the early 1900s. These windows remember members of the Vaughan family. You can also see a copy of the Welsh Bible from 1620, known as Beibl Parry, on display. Two special family crests, called funeral hatchments, are also shown in the chapel. The church is located within Llanafan village, near the river Ystwyth.
Church Services and Community
Grwp Bro Ystwyth a Mynach
Saint Afan's Church is part of the parish of Llanafan y Trawsgoed. This parish belongs to a group of churches called Grwp Bro Ystwyth a Mynach. It is also part of the Llanbadarn Fawr deanery and the Diocese of St David's.
As of 2011, the Associate Priest for the parish is I. E. Rose. The church holds Anglican services every Sunday. These services are given in both English and Welsh.
